Deep well pump



Dec. 23, 1941.,` J; M. HAl'r DEEP WELL PUMP 'Filed Jan 9, 1939 s sheets-sheet 1 .z fw, 3,7.. M

J M. HAlT DEEP WELL EUMP Filed Jan. 9, v1959 Dec. '23, `1941.

A J. M. HAVr DEEP WELL PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheefl 3 Filed Jan.y 9, 1939 ggg mmmmwmm TOPA/El/ 5 Patented Dec. 23, `1941 UNITED STATES PATENT` OFFICE nEEP WELL PUMP James M. Halt, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 9, 1939, Serial No. 249,963

" (ci. 10a- 119) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to deep well pumps and has particular utility in pumping liquids from Y deep wells where said liquids contain a considerable amount of sediment held insuspension.

This situation is particularly prevalent in deep water wells where it has become the common practice to use rotary turbine pumps which are not subject to sanding up by the precipitation Vof sediment from the water in the pump tubing while the pump is halted. Turbine pumps, however, are not positive acting, and for excessive depths a positive acting pump is preferable to a pump depending on centrifugal action. One of the newest and most unique of positive acting pumps is that invented by Rene 'Joseph Louis Moineau and disclosed in his U. S. Letters Patent 1,892,217, 2,028,407and 2,085,115. The Moineau type of pump, however, has not hitherto been adapted for use in deepwells because of the fact that the pump acts by the rotation of a rotor in the bore of a stator with such a relation of helical surfaces on the rotor and stator as to produce a series of closed pockets between these two elements which rise as one of the elements is rotated relatively to the other. There is always one and generally two of these pockets opening upwardly from the Moineau type of,

. pump at all times duringthis operation. These pockets remain open, of course, whenever the pump is stopped. While the Moineau pump is capable of handling a liquid having sediment carried in suspension therein, it is rendered inoperative by those pockets opening at the discharge end of the pump being iilled with sedimentary material. Prior to my present invention, therefore, this type of pump 'has not been available for use in deep wells.

It is an object of `my invention to make the Moineau pump available for deep well use by preventing this pump from being sand-locked by the precipitation oi sediment' inv the upwardly t open pockets of the pump when the pump is temporarily vshut down.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoin object as well as further objects and advantages I will vbe made manifest 'in the following descrip.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. y

Eig. i is a cross sectional view taken on the line .4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an operation view on reduced scale illustrating the pump installation shown in Fig. l while operating. l

r'ig. o is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the situation which prevails when the pump is temporarily shut down and the sedimentary matter has precipitated from the water in the pump tubing.

Fig. l is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line l-l of Fig. 5 and illustrating the manner in which the bell flange or cup portion of the preferred form of sand trap of this invention coilapses under the pressure of wateriiowing from the pump and up the pump tubing.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section oi a pump tub ing illustrating a modied form of the sand trap l of this invention.

second modified form of the sand trap of this.

invention in the condition which prevails during the operation of the pump.

Fig. '.12 is a crosssectional view taken on the line |2--i2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view taken Ion the Fig. 14 is a view similar to 11 illustrating the situation which prevails when the operation of the pump is temporarily suspended.

tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which l Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional .view of a deep well pump installation of a Moineau type pump incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an lenlarged fragmentary view takenv onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating in de` tail the preferred design of the sand traps o! tlrl'sinvention.

Fig. .15 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view showing a modiil'ed form of installation of a Moineau pump with the latter .operated by a submersible motor and incorporating the preferred form of sand traps of the present invenion.

Referring specically to the drawings, it will be seen that the present invention is embodied in the deep Wellpumping apparatus 20 which is installed in a deep well 2|.

The well 2| has a casing 22 and supported on a concrete foundation 23 at the top of this is a power head 24 embodying an electric motor y which has suitable connection with a line shaft 26 extending downwardlyinto the well from the ,power head 24. The power head provides a passage 30 for the discharge of liquid pumped from the well 2|.

screwed into the lower end of the power head Disposed inside the casing 22 andy 24 .so as to 'connect with the passage 30 is a pump tubirigfliiwhich is made in sections 32 joined by pipe couplings 33. The line shaft 26 has bearings 35, each of which preferably includes a shell 36 enclosing a bushing 31 and a spider 38 formed on .the shell 36, the spider havinga ring 39 fitting closely within the tubing 3| and having an annular rib 40 which is disposed between adjacent ends of adjacent sections 32 of the tubing 3| so that each of the bearings 35 is rigidly unitedv with ter is assembled.

Connected to the lower end of the Vpump tubing 3| by a pipe coupling 45 is a tubing section 46, while joined to the lower end of the pipe section 46 by a pipe coupling 41 is a foot valve and strainer 48. Secured between the adjacent ends of the tubular elements joined by the -pipe collars 45 and 41 are rings 49 which serve to position a stator 59 of a Moineau pump 60 within the tubing section 46.

The foot valve and strainer 49' has a tubular body 6| at the lower` end of which is provided a valve seat 62 which connects with a strainer 63. Resting on -the seat 62 is a foot valve 64, the stem 65 of which is guided in the end of the strainer 63.

O While the stator 59 may be of any suitable type capable of cooperating with an internal rotor to pump liquid upwardly by producing upwardly traveling pockets, this stator is preferably of the Moineau type as shown in Moineau Patent No. 2,028,407, issued January 21, 1936. 'I'his stator, as shown in Fig. 1, includes a metal sleeve 10, to the interior surface of which is vulcanized a rubber stator body 1| having a bore '|2`. In the embodiment illustrated, the stator bore 'l2 has a left hand double pitched female thread formed therein. Thus, the inner surface of the stator bore 12 is generated by two discs disposed eccentrically on opposite sides of the axis of the stator and' thenrotated through a'helical path about the axis of the stator.

Disposed in the stator bore 12 is a rotor 15 which is connected by a exible coupling to an oscillatory link 11, the upper end of which is in turn connected by a flexible coupling 18, to the lower end of the line shaft 26. The rotor is a single pitch left handed screw which is generated by a single disc traveling in a helical path about the axis of the screw. The pitch, or distance traveled byithis disc along the axis of thel rotor for each gyration of said disc about said axis is one-half the distance followed by the two discs for each gyration the latter makes about the axis of the stator in generating the helical surface, of the stator bore 12. Thus it is seen that the relation between the pitch distance of the rotor and the pitch distance of the stator is the same as the relation between the number of threads in the helical surfaces of these elements. This is an essential condition of the Moineau type of pump which, when the stator and rotor are longer than a single pitch distance of the stator, causes to be produced by relative relation between the stator and rotor, a series of pockets which travel longitudinally along the stator bore 12. When the rotor 15 is rotatedin an anti-clockwise direction in the stator 59, these pockets rise and produce a positive pumping action. The couplings 16 and 18 are substantially alike, each of these having a torque impeller 89 which is screwed on left hand threads on one end of the link 11 against one of the shoulders 9| provided on said link. Surrounding each of the torque the tubing 3| when the latimpellers 8 0 is a body of rubber 82 which is enclosed in a cap 83, the latter being screwed onto a base nut 84 in the case of the coupling 16. The base nut 84 is provided with a threaded bore which screws onto a threaded stud 85 provided on the upper end of the rotor 15. In the case of the coupling 18 the cap 83 screws into a base nut 81 which is provided with a threaded bore into which the threaded lower end of the line shaft 26 screws so ras to bring this nut against a shoulder 89 on 'said shaft.

The apparatus also preferably includes two sand traps 96 and 9|, the first of which is located about the line shaft 26 just above the lowermost of the line shaft bearings 35. The sand trap has a iiexible rubber cup member 92 which includes an annular body 93 which snugly surrounds'the shaft 26 and is held in a iixed vertical position on the shaft 26 by set collars 94 and 95. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the body 93 is a very exible flange 96, the rim of which engages the inner face of the pump tubing 3| when the rubber cup member 92 is free from distorting forces.

The sand trap 9| is similar to the sand trap 90 and comprises a rubber cup member 91 having a body 98 which is ixed on the oscillating link 11 by set collars 99 and |00. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the rubber body 98 is an annular rubber flange itil, the upper end of which, when undistoxted, is of such a diameter as to extend substantially into contact with the inner face of the pump tubing 3| even though the axis of the link 11 where the sand trap 9| is mounted thereon is slightly eccentric with the axis of the pump tubing.

Operation The apparatus 20 preferably operates in the following manner:

In the installation of this apparatus, the foot valve and strainer 48 is disposed beneath the surface of the liquid in the well 2| so that when the motor 26 is energized and the line shaft 26 rotates rapidly, this rotation is transmitted through the couplings 18 and 16 and the oscillatory links 11 to the rotor 15 so that the latter rotates in a counterclockwise direction in the stator bore 12. As previously explained, this causes a series of pockets |05 formed between the rotor 15 and the stator 59 to travel upwardly so as to evacuate air from the housing 6| of the foot valve 48 and draw liquid upwardh' into the pump 60 and discharge this liquid into the lower end of the pump tubing 3| to cause it to ow upwardly through this and out through the power head passage 30 into a pipe ||0 connected with the discharge mouth of this passage.

The Moineau pump 60 is adapted for handling liquids containing sedimentary material suspended therein, but prior to this invention the Moineau pump has been used entirely in horizontal position to avoid this pump being locked by the settling of this sediment into the pockets |05 which are open at the discharge end of the pump when the latter is halted. The present invention renders it possible to use this type of pump in a vertical installation for the purpose of pumping sediment-bearing liquids upwardly substantial distances above the pump without the pump being incapacitated when temporarily halted by the sediments dropping down into the aforesaid pockets and 'thus locking the rotor 15 against rotation in th stator 59.

When the motor 26 isshut off during pumping that `the tubing remains lled with liquid. vThe sediment suspended in this liquid, of course, immediately starts to settle and if the pump vis aliowed to remain idle for more than a few minutes all this sediment is deposited .at the lower end of the body of liquid containing it. In 'the appara'-l tus 20, the pump 66 may be located anywhere from a few feet to many hundred fe'et below the power head 24 so that evenjwhere there is no` more than 1 per cent o! -suspended matter in the liquid' pumped, this amount, when entirely l deposited downwardly, `may constitute a -considerable quantity ot solid matter. While the pump 60 ris being operated, the upward flow of liquid discharged therefrom into the tubing 3|v collapses the rubber cups $2 and"91 as shown by the .full lines in Fig. 7 and by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thesecups are so iiexible that theycollapse in this manner without making any substantial resistance to the upward ow ofliquid through the tubing 3|. As soon as the apparatus is shut down, however,l these cups return to ward from the ring amV or the member lu a an annular nipple ||5. The lower memberl ||2 inf cludes a collar portion ||1v xed on the link 11 by' a set screw ||6. Formed integral with the collar is a cup H8, the upper portion of which overlaps the lower portion of the nipple I|5 of the upper member to provide an annular` space |26.

In practice, the sand trap ||Il may be used in place of either one or both of the sand traps 90 v and 9| shown in Fig. 1' and for the purpose of illustration shown positioned on the link 11 between vthe aforedescribed couplings 16 and-18, it being necessary to provide a joint in the tubing 3| at-the location ofthe sand trap I|0 as shown in Fig. 8.

The annular space |26 between the cup |I! and .nipple III permits the aforedescribed eccentheir normal shape as shown in Fig. 2 in which the upper rim contacts the inner surface of the tubing 3.I at two vertically spaced points disposed just above the pumpv 66. The free upward iiow of the liquid when the pump 6I) is in operation is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, andr Fig. 6 shows the result of shutting down the apparatus 'after the sediment suspended in the liquid in the pump tubing 3| is all settled downwardly. Here it is seen that the sand trap 9|) has caught the bulk of the sediment 'settling out of this liquid while 'in Fig. 8.

When the pump 66 is'stopped, the sediment whichsettles from the column of water above the sand trap IIIl passes through the nipple II5 of -the upper member |I into the lower member ||2. When the member ||2 is filled to the level of the lower extremity of the nipple H5, `as indicated by the line A-#A of Fig. Al0, further lling ofthe cup ||9 is prevented by the nipple ||5. After the cup ||9 is filled, additional sediment is retained above the sand trap ||I| as shown in Fig. 10 and the pump 60 is thus protected from When the pump 6|) is again started, the presthe sediment settling out between the sand trap 9|) and the sand trap 9| is caught in the latter. By virtue of this arrangement, the sediment is practically entirely kept out of the pockets |05 of the pump 60 which open upwardly when the operation of the pump is halted. Thus, when the fmotor 25 is again started there is no abnormal resistance to lthe rotation -of the rotor 15 in the stator 59 and the pump immediately recommences the discharge of liquid upwardly into the tubing 3|. This flow of liquid creates a pressure just below the sand traps 9|) and 9| so as to collapse the cups slightly so that this upwardly liowing liquidvjetties the sediment-deposited in these sand traps from the position in which it is depositedas shown in Fig. 6. The sediment is thus returned to a condition of suspension in the upward iiowlng stream of liquid in the tubing 3|, thereby permitting the flexible cups 92 and 91 to be collapsed as shown in Fig. '1 and thus offer a minimum of resistance to the up; ward owof liquid through the tubing 3|. y,

While the lower end of the link 11 osclllates eccentrically about the axis of the tubing 3|, the

'actual eccentricity is of such a slight degree as Reference is now made to Figs. 3, 9 and l0 of the drawings in which I have shown a modified form of sand trap IIB of my invention, the latter including an upper, funnel-shaped Lmember III and alower, cup-shaped member I|2. 'Ihe sure below the sand trap ||0 increases until the fluid forces its way through the body of sediment retained by the trap ||Il and the flow soon washes all of the sediment from the sand trap.

Referring now to'Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive, I have shown Vtherein another modied form of sand trap |25 of my invention. The trap |25 includes a ring |28 disposed within the pump tubing 3|. Formed integral with the ring |23 is a flange |29, the latter being locked between adjacent ends of sections 32 of the pump tubing 3|. Supported concentrically within the ring |28 by a spider |30` is a housing I3| in which a bearing |32 is mounted, the latter receiving the line shaft 26. Formed on upper extremities of the ring |28 and housing |3| are annular valve seats |34y and |35 respectively. Threaded onto the ring |28 is a lift valve retaining cage |36, the latter containing an annular lift valve |31.

When used in the pumping apparatus 20 of my invention, the sand trap |25.is preferably installed in place of the bearing 35 and the sand trap shown in Fig. 1. During operation of the pump 60, the liquid flows through the sand trap |25 in the direction indicated by the arrows of Fig. 11, the valve |31 being raised by the ilow of liquid to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 11. When thepump 60 is stopped, the valve |31 drops onto the valve seats |34 and |35 thus sealing the pump tubing 3| at the level ot the valve and preventing sediment from settling beyond the sand trap |25 as shown in Fig.'14, thus preventing the pump 63 from becoming sand-locked in the manner aforedescribed. In

order to protect the pump 60 4from the small upper member includes an annular` ring IIl 3|. Formed integral with and extending down- 75 be used on the link 11 as shown in Fig. 1 to suppump from the liquid trapped between the pump 66 and the sand trap |26, the sand trap 3| may tion.

Reference is now made to Fig. of tha drawings in which a modified form of deep well pumping apparatus |40 of my invention is shown, similar parts in the apparatus and |40 being indicated by similar reference numerals with primes added to the numerals used to indicate similar parts of the apparatus |40. Provided at the mouth of a deep well 2|' is an elbow |45 in which an uppermost section 32' of a pump tubing 3| is threaded. Mounted on the lower end of the tubing 3|' is a pump 6G which is identical to the aforedescribed pump 6G. Supported withl in thetubing 3| above the pump 60 by suitable spiders |41 is a submersible electric motor |48, the latter being connected to the pump 60' by flexible couplings 1S', 18', and a link ll'. Electric current is supplied to the motor |48 by a cable |49 which extends upward through the tubing 3| and elbow |45 to a suitable supply of current.

To protect the pump 60' from sediment, a sand trap |52 is mounted on top of the motor |48. The trap |52 is similar 'in construction and operation to the aioredescribed sand trap 90 of the apparatus 20 except that the trap |52 is mounted on the motor |48 instead of on the shaft 25 as shown in Fig. 1. To supplement the sand trap |52, a trapSl' is mounted on the link 1l as shown.

When the pump Eli' is driven by the motor |48, the pumped liquid iiows by the sand trap 9|', through the spiders |41 and past the sand trap |52, the traps 9|' and |52 being collapsed by the liquid as aforedescribed. When the pump 60 is stopped, the sand traps |52 and 9| expand to the positions-in which they are shown in Fig.

a pump tubing descending in said well from the top thereof to a pumping level therein; a. pump provided at the lower end of said tubing and connected therewith; a shaft journalled within said tubing near the lower end thereof; means for rotating saidshaft to drive said pump to pump well liquid upwardly through said tubing and about said shaft; and a rotary sand trap fixed on said shaft above said pump, said sand trap rotating with said shaft and comprising a hub snugly fitting said shaft, means for fixing said hub to said shaft, and a very flexible flange formed upon said hub and extending upwardly at a shallow angle into contact with the inner Wall of said tubing, said ange being ot such light weight and of such a flexible character as to readily collapse inwardly, While said shaft is rotating, to permit passage of well liquid upwardly through said tubing and past said sand trap, said flange, however, having sufllcient resilience, when rotation of said shaft ceases, to expand outwardly into annular contact with said tubing so as to catch particles of sand deposited from liquid in said tubing above said trap. y

2. In a deep well pump, the combination of: a pump tubing descending in said well from the top thereof to a pumping level therein; a rotary pump stator provided at the lower end of said tubing and connected therewith; a rotor disposed in said stator and adapted to gyrate therein about a vertical axis to pump liquid upwardly through said tubing; a shaft journalled within said tubing near the lower end thereof; a gyrating link connecting said shaft with said rotor; means fox` rotating said shaft to cause the gyration of said rotor in said stator as aforesaid; and a sand trap provided on said link and comprising hub means fixed on said link, and a very flexible iiange extending upwardly and outwardly from said hub means so that no matter in what position said link is halted said flange expands to form an annular line or" contact between said flange and said pump tubing a substantial distance above the union of said flange with said hub means, said flange being of sufficient iexibility to collapse readily in response to the upward ow of liquid through said tubing produced by said pump during the gyration of said link in driving said rotor.

- JAMES M. HAIT. 

